Tag Archives | inspire behavior change

Emotive Storytelling: Laundromat People

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When you spend time in a Laundromat, as I have done for the last two years, one thing is immediately obvious: almost everyone there smokes, most are overweight, and many are eating junk food and drinking colas.  The need to use a Laundromat is generally a sign of limited financial resources; the behavioral side suggests limited health literacy.

For home re-location and professional transition reasons, I coincidentally found myself in this environment to observe both. Continue Reading →

The Art and Science of Patient Storytelling: Harnessing Narrative Communication for Behavioral Intervention

Emotive Storytelling: Narrative communication is a powerful strategy for influencing health behavior.

Emotive Storytelling:
Narrative is a powerful strategy for influencing health behavior.

With the increasing interest in the use of narrative communication as a strategy for influencing health behavior, there has been an effort to develop standardized protocols for creating engaging stories and to determine the successful components of an effective story.  Continue Reading →

It’s All About Behavior Change

Dr. Gerard Gibbons, Director/Author

Let me ask you a question. What do these concepts have in common?

Prevention, compliance, marketing, sales, assertive communication, setting limits, and incentives.

Look closely. The commonality may not be obvious because they are each associated with diverse areas of endeavor including medicine, business, interpersonal relationships, morale building and parenting.

Give up? Continue Reading →

Emotive Storytelling: The Me To We Factor

Dr. Gerard Gibbons, Director/Author

Let me tell you a story about what a guy named Peter Guber has learned about storytelling.  Peter Guber is a successful film producer whose films have earned over 3 billion dollars and have captured 50 Academy Award nominations.  He is also an owner of two major league sports franchises.  So he’s got some cred.  Continue Reading →

The Best Story Wins

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The Best Story Wins

Years ago, mealtimes in many homes meant story time – retellings of work experiences, report cards and bargains. When friends, uncles and aunts came to visit and mealtimes were longer, there was more storytelling, gossiping and laughing. (And yes, crying and arguing were part of those stories, too.)  Continue Reading →

Storytellers Need Storylisteners

ear2He can only hear his story: He found her in bed with another man when he returned from an important mission. She can only hear her story: She’s tired of being his second wife – the military is his first.

They’ve got four kids. And along with their wedding vows, they promised each other an ugly divorce – if it came to that.

Each thinks the other is the villain. But they’re about to learn the name of the real enemy. Continue Reading →

The Journey Begins Before the Uniform Comes Off

Up-front-and-early2Joe read the Go Army ads and enlisted. He’s a good guy. Not Harvard or Stanford material, but a hard worker, a guy who knows that courage is acting in spite of fear. He was also thinking about the post-deployment perks when he signed the papers.

So he goes through kick-butt training, gets deployed, gets knocked down, and two years later comes home with PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury.

Continue Reading →